This proposal requests support from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) for the HMO Research Network (HMORN) Conference to be held April 14 -16, 2008 in Minneapolis, MN. Consistent with the conference theme, Partnerships in Translation: Advancing Research and Clinical Care, the 2008 meeting will reach beyond the network and our traditional collaborators to share our experiences, discuss tools and technologies, and expand opportunities for productive partnerships. The overall aims of the annual HMORN conference are to: 1) provide a forum for HMORN researchers, funding-agency representatives, and existing and potential partners from academia, health care, and industry to disseminate research findings and discuss methods and approaches to improve health care through research; 2) create novel opportunities to develop strategic partnerships and directions for research between research centers, care delivery systems, external collaborators, and funders; 3) expand the capacity of researchers and organizations to address national goals for improving the effectiveness, safety, quality, and efficiency of health care delivery systems, and to contribute to national research agendas and funding priorities; and 4) establish didactic tracks for research administrators, junior investigators, and researchers new to the HMORN by providing skills training in grant writing, writing for scientific publications, development and use of standardized data resources, and compliance with human subjects protection and HIPAA regulations. The agenda will be closely aligned with AHRQ's mission to improve the quality, safety, efficiency, and effectiveness of health care. [unreadable] [unreadable] [unreadable]